Respond to Anuak Diaspora Article

I have read a good piece of advice written by Ajwomo on this media. He made a great point which is realistic all over Ethiopia with exception of Gambella. As he stated no politics without economy, it is true indeed no doubt about that. I agree with the concept. However, when we refer it to Gambella, I would like to say the reverse; without politics no economy. The reason is simple and practical. The Diasporas had made several attempts to start businesses in order to run the regional economy including the resident of the region itself. We all had witnessed what had happen to those pilot projects the Diasporas had started (Grinding mills, transportation sector, Hotels). Those projects were destroyed at the initial stage by state or federal government. A year ago our regional leader traveled to Diaspora calling for human resources and investors to come home and make a difference. Some had attempted to reach home, but due to bureaucracy they didn’t achieve the objective they were call for. The call was politically motivated and was not a genuine call. Just to cool down the temper of Diasporas from anger they had toward the government for killing of their love ones. Even some professionals attempted to work in public sector voluntarily during their vacation or tour, but they were not given a chance to do so.

Anyway, let me come back to the point I want to make when I say, “without politics no economy”. I say it, due to the fact that government’s policy towards Gambella is different from those practices in the entire country. Gambella is rule by what we call “Cii ya maaø”. To run smooth economy there should be a good system in place that allow businesses to flourish. However, the government didn’t care for the economy or development of the region nor its people whether they prosper or doom in poverty. What the government is after is only to plunder the wealth of the region as much as possible without return to the region or the Anuaks in terms of improving their region economy or living standard. The policy design for Gambella is to enrich and empower the settler/highlander over the indigenous in order to seize their land. The current land grabbing process is a clear example. The government had evicted Abobo’s farmer from their land without compensation or sustainable development plan for them. The land was leased to Sheik Alamoudi who had evicted Addis Ababa residents of police garage suburb in order to built Sheraton Hotel and had compensated the residents. He had constructed villa-houses for them in Gerge Suburb eastern Addis Ababa. However, Sheik Alamoudi did nothing for inhabitants of Abobo district. Where is his generosity or love to his country or fellow citizen the Anuaks? What is the government’s sustainable development plan for Abobo’s people? Don’t the Anuaks deserve compensation like their brothers of Police Garage suburb in Addis? I won’t comment on this let any Anywaa think about it and find an answer.

In business environment you need to have a security and leverage over your asset. Otherwise, you’re liable to failure. Without security or protection, it won’t work as we have seen from the examples I have mentioned above. The government is not encouraging us to run businesses in fear of taking over the businesses from settlers/highlanders. If we became competitors to the settlers we are closing the opportunity of enriching the settlers and hinder the development of their native region they had come from. As it was witnessed by those who lived in Gambela town, there is no any investor or business man/woman depositing or banking with Gambela Branch Commercial Bank of Ethiopia. Every Friday the weekly income is transported to Addis Ababa or to others regions’ Commercial Bank of Ethiopia by Ethiopian Airline. No business man/woman has built a resident or business facility that could hold hallmark in the town at less, rather than leasing what is available in region. If he/she attempts to build, it’s a cheap construction made up of tarpaulin or what is call “Shatara bet”.

Therefore, the bureaucracy, the destruction of the attempted businesses at the initial stage by the government, is result of lack of proper policy or politics that protect the right of indigenous to run businesses in their home land. That is why I dear to reverse the reality of no economy no politics to no politics no economy because it won’t work this way in Gambela unless we have a policy that protect every citizen right equally. We won’t get equality without politics. We have to struggle for equality to prevail if we want to get a fair treatment where by each individual right will be protected. I didn’t mean peaceful struggle through economy is not possible nor discouraging Diasporas from investing at home to improve our region economy and create job to our people. The question is it feasible without policy that protects our interest? If not, it will be meaningless to go and waste our capital as it had happened in the past under the same administration.

Commented by Mr. Ojulu Odola at